Comments on: How to Download TSP into Quicken http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/ Money Management, Small Business, Career Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:33:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Charlie Brown http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/comment-page-1/#comment-20465 Charlie Brown Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:44:55 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/#comment-20465 TSP data won't go to Quicken because the Federal Thrift Investment Board won't let members learn of the farce - the TSP doesn't operate on a FIFO basis, as do all ERISA plans. If a member rebalances any amount, the entire account is SOLD and the proceeds from the sale go towards a dollar rebalancing. In ERISA retirement savings plans, only the First-In lots are sold and the proceeds are invested into different (mutual) funds based on how the participant redirected the rebalancing. This totally flys in the face of the lies the FTIB/TSP told about excessive trading costs incurred. Think about it - if you only wanted to rebalance $5,000, then why does FTIB/TSP make you TRANSACT your whole account (say $100,000) and then reinvest (i.e., TRANSACT) your entire account balance into fund families based on that day's close-of-business share pricing. Screwed in upmarkets, very kind in down markets - if you think rebound will come. Just wait - the FTIB/TSP wants to provide mutual fund accounts. More undue transactions and transaction costs - grifted from us. Quicken does specific sales. Yes, it gets complicated and that's why Quicken is still deficient. TSP data won’t go to Quicken because the Federal Thrift Investment Board won’t let members learn of the farce – the TSP doesn’t operate on a FIFO basis, as do all ERISA plans. If a member rebalances any amount, the entire account is SOLD and the proceeds from the sale go towards a dollar rebalancing. In ERISA retirement savings plans, only the First-In lots are sold and the proceeds are invested into different (mutual) funds based on how the participant redirected the rebalancing.
This totally flys in the face of the lies the FTIB/TSP told about excessive trading costs incurred. Think about it – if you only wanted to rebalance $5,000, then why does FTIB/TSP make you TRANSACT your whole account (say $100,000) and then reinvest (i.e., TRANSACT) your entire account balance into fund families based on that day’s close-of-business share pricing. Screwed in upmarkets, very kind in down markets – if you think rebound will come.
Just wait – the FTIB/TSP wants to provide mutual fund accounts. More undue transactions and transaction costs – grifted from us.
Quicken does specific sales. Yes, it gets complicated and that’s why Quicken is still deficient.

]]> By: Billy http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/comment-page-1/#comment-19512 Billy Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:35:27 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/#comment-19512 I have created an excel spread sheet that can import daily fund price from the TSP website. There are some things that must be updated manually, but I have managed to get pretty much all of the formulas correct. If you are interested in trying it out let me know. (Any suggestions for improvements are greatly appreciated.) I have created an excel spread sheet that can import daily fund price from the TSP website. There are some things that must be updated manually, but I have managed to get pretty much all of the formulas correct. If you are interested in trying it out let me know. (Any suggestions for improvements are greatly appreciated.)

]]> By: Ryan http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/comment-page-1/#comment-17141 Ryan Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:20:33 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/#comment-17141 Thanks for the info, Jeff. That looks like a good tool. I only have a limited amount of TSP entries because I've been out of the military for a few years now, so this won't be a good match for my situation. But for people who are still in the military or government service and have a lot of data, this tool can be very useful! Thanks for the info, Jeff. That looks like a good tool. I only have a limited amount of TSP entries because I’ve been out of the military for a few years now, so this won’t be a good match for my situation. But for people who are still in the military or government service and have a lot of data, this tool can be very useful!

]]> By: Jeff http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/comment-page-1/#comment-17136 Jeff Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:53:26 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/#comment-17136 Your method works for importing the share prices, but does nothing for importing the purchase transactions. I am much more concerned with entering the transactions than the daily share prices. Besides the transaction prices serve to update the share prices on the days they occur. Big Red Consulting sells an Excel add-on that creates a QIF file that can then be imported into Quicken. http://www.bigredconsulting.com/aboutofxwriter.htm. To get the information into Excel, I copy and paste the text of the transactions from the pdf of a statement into a text file and modify that into the format required by the Excel add-on. It's a bit tedious and the add-on is a bit expensive ($49), but it works well and it saves a lot of time and brain-numbing keyboarding compared to entering all the transactions manually. Your method works for importing the share prices, but does nothing for importing the purchase transactions. I am much more concerned with entering the transactions than the daily share prices. Besides the transaction prices serve to update the share prices on the days they occur.

Big Red Consulting sells an Excel add-on that creates a QIF file that can then be imported into Quicken. http://www.bigredconsulting.com/aboutofxwriter.htm. To get the information into Excel, I copy and paste the text of the transactions from the pdf of a statement into a text file and modify that into the format required by the Excel add-on. It’s a bit tedious and the add-on is a bit expensive ($49), but it works well and it saves a lot of time and brain-numbing keyboarding compared to entering all the transactions manually.

]]> By: Ryan http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/comment-page-1/#comment-82 Ryan Thu, 10 May 2007 22:50:20 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/#comment-82 I made that flight a few times. There aren't any nice stops in between! I'm glad you guys made it safely! In my book, all the people serving over there are heroes. ;) I made that flight a few times. There aren’t any nice stops in between! I’m glad you guys made it safely!

In my book, all the people serving over there are heroes. ;)

]]> By: Allen http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Allen Thu, 10 May 2007 20:54:14 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/10/how-to-download-tsp-into-quicken/#comment-81 Hi Ryan, No problem on posting the TSP to Quicken HOWTO on your site. It is not exactly the most obvious solution but after I figured it out it is pretty easy. I just hope other people will find it useful too. The C-130 flight- what I didn't say was that the Air Force mechanics that were on board probably saved us from having to do an emergency landing in a very unfortunate place (use your imagination and draw a line from Qatar to Afghanistan)... They were hero's in my book! -Allen Hi Ryan,
No problem on posting the TSP to Quicken HOWTO on your site. It is not exactly the most obvious solution but after I figured it out it is pretty easy. I just hope other people will find it useful too.

The C-130 flight- what I didn’t say was that the Air Force mechanics that were on board probably saved us from having to do an emergency landing in a very unfortunate place (use your imagination and draw a line from Qatar to Afghanistan)… They were hero’s in my book!

-Allen

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